Garment rack



O. H. OGREN Jn. s, 1942.

GARMENT RACK Filed Aug. 9. 194C Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Oscar H. Ogren, Rockford, Ill.

Application August 9, 1940, Serial No. 351,923

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in folding garment hangers.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a clothes hanger suitable for supporting a number of conventional hangers containing garments, and adapted to fold upwardly to a closed position in order to reducev to a minimum the 'space occupied by the clothes and garment hanger, making the device especially useful when employed in a limited amount of space such as a shallow closet or on the inside of ak door thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this type of such design that it will firmly support a quantity of garments and yet is of relatively light weight construction to reduce cost of manufacture, .and to permit simple and ready installation.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a device as described which, when in the open position, enables the user readily and easily to select, hang, and remove garments through the provision on the hanger arm of a plurality of spaced vertical pins which permit sliding of the hangers therebetween, thereby eliminating the crowding and mussing encountered where the hangers are held in a fixed position on a hanger arm supporting a comparable quantity of garments. v

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pole depending from the free end of the hanger arm for more conveniently raising the said arm to the closed position, and for disen` gaging it therefrom.

Another object of the improvements is the provision of horizontal latch bar extending outi wardly from the wall or door on which the device is mounted, so as to be always visible to the user. Thus, when foldingthe hanger arm to the closed position, the said arm can be easily latched to the bar, notwithstanding any lateral swing of thehanger arm that might misalign it in its upward arc.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in the open position, showing a hanger suspended therefrom and the assist polein the dotted position it assumes in order to avoid limiting any bulging of the garments on va crowded hanger arm;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in the closed position, the dottedposition of the assist pole being the one at which rit disengages the hanger arm for return to the open position; v

(c1. eil- 100) A `hanger arm 5 having a crowned top is pivotally mounted at one end on a pin 6 so as to swing in a vertical plane within a bracket 1, having Fig. 3 is a top elevation on the line 3 3 of the line 4-4 of semi-circular. anges, which is fastened to a wall or door 8 by screws 9. N

A plurality of pins I arespaced along the top side of the arm at right angles thereto and are secured thereon by a suitable method.

vA U-shaped piece I I is adapted to straddle the arm4 5 diagonally near its free end 5a and is secured thereto by a rivet I2. A bar I3 having an obliquely bent lower end is fastened to the top crosspiece of the U-shaped piece II by fixing a bolt I4 through suitable bores. Y

A pole I5 is suspended'from the lowei` sides of the piece I I and is adapted to swivel therein on a pivot formed by a bolt I6, which is mounted in rhe curled back portion of a plate I'I secured to the p'ole I5 by screws I8. A right angled slot I9 is provided in the sides of piece Il to permit a top end of the pole I5 to locate itself more closely to the free end 5a of the arm 5, as will be hereinafterdescribed. l

A chain .2l is secured at its ylower end to the bar I3 while at its upper end is anchored to a' bracket 22 that is secured to a wall, or the door' 8, by screws 23 vin vertical alignment with the bracket 1 and spaced therefrom so that the chain 2| is taut when the arm 5 has assumed a horizontal position. The provision Aof a bar I3 as av spaces the chain 2| from hanger arm 5 so that it will not drape about clothes hung therefrom, nor vinterfere with the operation of the hanger arm 5. The bracket 22 has an outwardly projectin top piece 24, fashioned at its outer portion 24a to form a rectangular opening 25. As is apparent from Figs. 1 and'3, this bracket 22 is a onepiecev bar, shaped as illustrated, the top end being turned back to form the opening 25 and then faced against itself and secured'in this position by rivets 26. One side ofthe opening 25 is bent through degrees as shown at 22a and 22h to provide a lip 21 against which the end 20 of the pole' I5 is pressed by rotation thereof through the dotted line position of Fig. 2 to lrelease the arm 5 from the closed position.

The end of ythis rotation occurs when the end ofthe pole I5 abuts directlyagainst the bottom side of the `arm 5 with the-bolt I6V in the-short arm of the angled slot I9. This causes the pole I5 to become in effect ar combination of the arm 5 to assist the operator in raising 4and lowering the arm 5.

Clothes hangers of the conventional sort are designated by number 28. Spare hangers may be hung from bracket 22, as illustrated in Figure 1.

In operation, the user places the hangers 28 containing garments on the arm 5, spacing them along the arm by the pins I0. It is significant to note that the spaced pins IU permit limited sliding of the clothes hangers 28 along the arm 5, thereby making it easier to select clothes or to hang and remove them from the arm 5, since crowding and bunching is largely eliminated. Having done this and wishing to close the closet door, if it be such, the operator grasps the pole I5 and pushes the arm 5 and suspended garments upwardly toward the position illustrated in Fig. 2. When the diagonally cut end 5a of arm 5 contacts the lip 21, it exes the bracket piece 24 upwardly until the end 5a enters the opening 25, whereupon the piece 24 returns to its horizontal position, locking the arm 5 in this upward position. During this upward movement, the hangers 28 are limited in sliding along the arm 5 by the pegs I Il and are maintained in a vertical position byvgravity, the 'attached garments assuming a like position.

To release the garment hanger from the closed position, the user merely grasps the pole I5 and swings it outwardly to the dotted position in Fig. 2. This causes the end. 20 of the pole I5 to bear against the lip 21 forcing the bracket piece 24 upwardly to release the arm 5 therefrom, permitting it to be lowered to the horizontal position, as in Figure l. Thus, it is clear that regardless of the height of the user, he may readily raise or lower the arm 5 by the pole I5. The fact that the bracket piece 24 is designed to project a considerable distance from the wall or door 8 makes it visible at all times to permit accurate alignment of the arm 5 and bracket piece 24 in the upward yarc of the former, notwithstanding any lateral movement in the arm 5. It is evident that this arrangement contributes to the ease with which the end 5a of the arm 5 may be locked within the opening 25.

The slots I9 in the bracket II permit the end 20 of the pole I5 to drop a corresponding distance from the arm 5 so that the pole may be swung outwardly, as in the dotted line position in Figure l, to avoid limiting the bulging of the garments when the hanger is crowded to capacity.

I claim:

1. In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having mounting means at one end and pivotally mounted at this end to permit hinged movement in a vertical plane, exible support means xed at one end above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the other end being attached to substantially the free end of the hanger arm, the said ilexible means limiting downward movement of the said hanger arm to a horizontal position, a plurality of pins spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, an outwardly projecting horizontal bar positioned above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the free end of the said bar being adapted to engage the free end of the hanger arm at a point less than vertical in its upward arc, manual means for disengaging the said bar from the free end of the hanger arm, permitting the latter to return to a horizontal position.

2. In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having mounting means at one end and pivotally mounted at this end to permit hinged movement in a vertical plane, a plurality of pins spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, a U-shaped bracket comprising upper and lower forks in vertical alignment with the said mounting means mounted above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the said upper fork projecting outwardly a substantial distance, exible support means' fixed at one end to the lower fork of the said U-shaped bracket, the other end being attached to substantially the free end of the hanger arm, the said exible means limiting downward movement of the said hanger arm to a horizontal position, a loop in the outward end of the said upper fork for reception of the free end of the said hanger arm and to provide a latch therefor, a pole pivotally mounted to the free end of the hanger arm to swing in a vertical plane, rotatable to release the latch.

3. In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having mounting means at one end and pivotally mounted at this end to permit hinged movement in a vertical plane, a plurality of pins spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, flexible support means, one end of which is attached to substantially the free end of the hanger arm, the other end being iixed above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the said flexible means limiting downward movement of the said hanger arm to a horizontal position, an outwardly projecting horizontal spring-bar positioned above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, a loop in the outward end of the said spring-bar for reception of the free end of the said hanger arm and to provide a latch therefor, a pole pivotally mounted to the free end of the hanger arm to swing in a vertical plane therewith, the top of the said pole being spaced from the free end of the said hanger arm to release the hanger arm from the said loop upon being swung outwardly.

4. In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having mounting means at one end and pivotally mounted at this end to permit hinged movement in a vertical plane, a plurality of pins-spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, support mea-ns having one end attached to substantially the free end of the hanger arm, the other end being xed above the said mounting means of the hanger arm and limiting -downward movement of the said hanger arm to a horizontal position, the said support means consisting of a rigid rod, the lower end of which is attached to the free end of the hanger arm, and a complementary flexible member extending from the upper end of the rigid rod, the rigid rod and ilexible means being so proportioned as to length that the flexible means hangs clear of the hanger arm in any position in its upward movement, an outwardly projecting horizontal spring-bar positioned above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, a loop in the outward end of the said spring-bar for reception of the free end of the said hanger arm and to provide a latch therefor, a pole pivotally mounted to the free end of the hanger arm to swing in a vertical plane therewith, the top of the said pole being spaced from the free end of the said hanger arm to release the hanger arm from the said loop upon being swung outwardly.

5. In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having v said mounting means of the hanger arm and limiting downward movement of the said hanger arm to a horizontalposition, the said support means consisting of a rigid rod, the lower end of which is attached to the free end of the hanger arm, and a complementary flexible member extending from the upperend of the rigid rod, the rigid rod and flexible means being so proportioned as to length that the flexible means hangs clear of the hanger arm in any position in its upward movement, a plurality of pins spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, an outwardly projecting horizontal bar positioned above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the free end of the said bar being adapted to engage the free end of the hanger arm at a point less than Vertical in its upward arc, manual means for disengaging the said bar from the free end of the hanger arm, permitting thelatter to return to a horizontal position.

6. In a latch mechanism, the combination of a swingably mounted arm, a spring bar fixed to a support means, a loop in the outward end of the said spring bar for reception of an end of the said arm providing a latch therefor, a rod pivotally mounted to the latch end of the said arm to swing in the same plane therewith, the top of the said rod being spaced from the said loop in the spring bar and adapted to bear against the said loop to release the arm therefrom upon being swung outwardly.

'7; In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having mounting means at one end and pivotally mounted at this end to permit hinged movement in a vertical plane, a plurality of pins spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, flexible support means, one end of which is attached to substantially the free end of the hanger arm, the other end being xed above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the

said flexible means limiting downward movement of the said hanger arm to a horizontal position, an'outwardly projecting horizontal spring bar positioned above the said mounting means of the hangerarm, a loop in the outward end of the said spring bar for reception of the free end of the said hanger arm and to provide a latch therefor, a pole pivotally mounted to the free end of the hanger arm to swing .in a vertical plane therewith, the top of the said pole being spaced from the free end of the said hanger arm to release the hanger arm from the said loop upon being swung outwardly, the top of the said lpole being adapted to abut the said hanger arm when swung outwardly to assist in raising and lowering the said hanger arm. t

8. In a clothes hanger, a hanger arm having mounting means at one end and pivotally mounted at this end to permit hinged movement in a vertical plane, a plurality of pins spaced along the hanger arm permitting sliding of the hangers therebetween, `a U-shaped bracket comprising upper and lower forks in vertical alignment with the said mounting means mounted above the said mounting means of the hanger arm, the said upper fork projecting outwardly a substantial distance, flexible support means fixed at one end to the lower fork `of the said U-shaped bracket, the other end being attached to substantially the free end of the hanger arm, the said flexible means limiting downward movement of the said hanger arm toa horizontal position, a loop in the outward end of the said upper fork for reception of the free end of the said hanger arm and to provide a latch therefor, a pole pivotally mounted tothe free end of the hanger arm to swing "in a Vertical plane, rotatable to release the latch, the top of said pole being adapted to abut the said hanger arm upon being swung outwardly after release of the latch to assist in raising and lowering the said hanger arm.

OSCAR H. OGREN. 

